The Delta State Government has clarified that the Appeal Court sitting in Abuja only ordered the tribunal to hear the case again but did not overturn the election of Governor Sheriff Oborevwori.
This may not be unconnected to the rife speculation in the state shortly after the Abuja ruling that the candidate of the Labour Party, Mr Ken Pela, had been declared the winner at the appeal court.
However, the state government, through a statement by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Festus Ahon, in Asaba, said the Appeal Court only ordered a rehearing of the petition.
The statement said: “We have been inundated by reports from a section of the media that the Appeal Court had declared Mr Ken Pela of the Labour Party as the winner of the 2023 governorship election in Delta State.
“The report is nothing but fake news, as the Appellate Court only ordered the tribunal to hear the case.
“From the results declared by the electoral umpire, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), it was obvious that the Labour Party did not win the election and therefore couldn’t have won in court.
“Our people came out in large numbers to elect Governor Sheriff Oborevwori, and they are happy with him. We therefore urge Party faithful and Deltans to disregard the said reports, as they were a concoction of the Labour Party and their followers.
“We also urge Deltans to remain calm. At the time of the fake news, Governor Oborevwori was busy inspecting various ongoing projects within Asaba and its environs. He is focused on delivering the dividends of democracy to the people of the state and would not be distracted by the rumour mills.
“Our lawyers are studying the Appeal Court judgement with a view to taking necessary action,” he said.
Meanwhile, the chairman of the Labour Party in the state, Tony Ezeagwu, has lauded the judgement of the appeal court.
He said that the governorship election tribunal in Asaba would be able to do the right thing when it reconvenes to determine the petition of the Labour Party.